Device to reuse disposable plastic shopping bags as trash bags

ABSTRACT

A trash container allows disposable plastic shopping bags to be reused as trash bags. The trash container has at least two hooked projection members attached to the exterior of the trash container for removable attachment of the disposable shopping bags to the trash container. In an alternate embodiment, a resilient band with attached hooked projection members can be used on existing trash containers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a trash container that usesplastic shopping bags, and more particularly to a trash container thatallows a user to easily and quickly reuse plastic shopping bags ofdifferent sizes.

Consumers frequently receive goods, such as groceries and other retailitems, in plastic bags with handles. The plastic bags come in differentsizes and configurations and are most often made of polyethylene.Currently, disposable retail shopping bags are problematic from anenergy use and disposal perspective.

While previous attempts have been made to develop a trash-receivingshopping bag container, the use of prior art trash containers iscumbersome, time-consuming, and apt to have trash miss the liner andfall into the receptacle. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,772,903 shows atrash receptacle having a liner entirely within the trash receptacle,facilitating the falling of trash into the receptacle itself.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a trashcontainer that allows a user to reuse a plastic bag as a liner easilyand quickly.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an adaptorfor an existing trash container that adapts the trash container to allowa user to quickly and easily use a plastic bag as a liner.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a trashcontainer that prevents trash from missing the liner falling into thereceptacle.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a trashcontainer that allows disposable plastic bags to be easily reused astrash bags, allowing decrease in both resource consumption andpollution.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a trash container comprising a bottom, a sidewall and an open top for receiving trash. The trash container can bycylindrical, square, rectangle, or any of a variety of shapes. Theexterior of the trash container includes a plurality of hookedprojections. In the preferred embodiment, there are two hookedprojections located opposite to each other, allowing the plastic bag tobe inserted into the container, with its handles removably attached tothe exterior of the trash container by fastening each handle over ahooked projection. In an alternate embodiment, hooks are attached to astretchable band of rubber or similar material. The rubber band isplaced around an existing trash container and allows it to be convertedto use to receive shopping bags.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the trash container of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the trash container of the present inventionshown with a plastic bag.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the trashcontainer of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the presentinvention allowing existing trash containers to be converted to the useshown.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, a perspective view of the trash container 10 of thepresent invention is shown. The trash container is comprised of a hollowreceptacle 12 having a bottom 11 and a sidewall 13. The sidewall 13, asshown in FIG. 1, has an inner wall 14, an outer wall 16, and an opening18. At least two outwardly-directed hooked projections 20, 22 areattached to the trash container 10 on its outer wall 16. The trashcontainer 10 may be cylindrical, rectangular, or any of a variety ofshapes. The trash container 10 may be made of metal, plastic, or any ofa variety of materials. Likewise, the hooked projections may be made ofa variety of materials, and in a variety of shapes. The trash containermay also have a lid, either attached with a hinge, or completelyremovable.

As shown in FIG. 2, a plastic bag 26 having opening 28 has been insertedinto the trash container 10. One handle 30 of plastic bag 26 is shownhooked around outwardly-directed hooked projection 20. The second handle32 of plastic bag 26 is shown hooked around outwardly-directed hookedprojection 22. Each hooked projection member 20, 22 is comprised of afirst portion that is attached to the exterior of said side wall and asecond portion angled downward relative to said open top, each saidhooked projection member being adapted to support a handle of a bag.

In an alternate embodiment, the trash container of the present inventionis configured so that it can store bags that have been filled with trashwhile it is being used.

FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment of the present invention, where thetrash container has a series of holes 30 in which hooked projectionmember 22 are removably inserted to allow use of different-sized plasticbags in the trash container. The hooked projection members may bescrewed into the holes, or other methods of attachment may be used.

FIG. 4 shows an alternate embodiment of the present invention where aconventional trash container is adapted to accept a shopping bag for useas a trash bag. A resilient support band 40 is made of rubber, orsimilar material, that can be placed around a conventional trashreceptacle. At least two projecting hooks 42, 44 are attached to theresilient support band. The projecting hooks are shaped to support ahandle of a bag, and in the preferred embodiment, are opposedly attachedto each other. In alternate embodiments, there can be more than twohooks, placed to accept bags of varying sizes.

1. A trash container comprising: a bottom; a side wall having anexterior and an interior; an open top for receiving trash; and aplurality of hooked projection members attached to said exterior of saidside wall including a first hooked projection member opposedly attachedto a second hooked projection member, and wherein each of said hookedprojection members is comprised of a first portion attached to theexterior of said side wall and a second portion angled downward relativeto said open top, each said hooked projection member being adapted tosupport a handle of a bag.
 2. The trash container of claim 1 alsocomprising a lid being hingedly attached to said container.
 3. The trashcontainer of claim 1 wherein said bottom is circular in shape.
 4. Thetrash container of claim 2 wherein said side wall is cylindrical inshape.
 5. The trash container of claim 1 wherein said hooked projectionmembers are removably attached to said exterior of said side wall. 6.The trash container of claim 1 wherein said side wall further comprisesmeans for accepting said hooked projection members.
 7. The trashcontainer of claim 1 wherein said trash container further comprisesmeans for storing at least one bag that has been filled with trash whilea second bag is attached to said trash container for receiving trash. 8.A method of reusing a shopping bag as a trash bag, comprising: a)obtaining a shopping bag having handles and an opening; b) removablyattaching said shopping bag to a container so that said shopping bag isinside said container, said opening is held open by said handles, andsaid handles are removably attached to the exterior of said container.9. An apparatus for adapting a trash container to accept a shopping bagfor use as a trash bag, said apparatus comprising: a resilient supportmember for removable attachment to a trash receptacle; and a pluralityof hooked projection members attached to said resilient support member.10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said resilient support member iscomprised of an interior portion and a exterior portion, and each ofsaid hooked projection members is comprised of a first portion attachedto the exterior of said resilient support member and a second angledportion, each said second angled portion being adapted to support ahandle of a bag.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said plurality ofhooked projection members is further comprised of a first hookedprojection member opposedly attached to a second hooked projectionmember.